New IFAW report details simple, efficient ways to reduce ocean noise from commercial shipping and benefit whales
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
12:00 AM
A report on Ocean Noise commissioned by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) concludes that shipping noise could be dramatically reduced through measures that may also improve efficiency with payback times of one or two years.
The greatest benefit would be to marine mammals whose communications are greatly impeded by ocean noise. IFAW is calling upon International Maritime Organization (IMO) governments, ship owners associations and the shipping industry to undertake the necessary research and actions to achieve widely endorsed targets for reducing underwater noise pollution from shipping and identify vessels that would benefit most from efficiency improving technologies that are also likely to reduce underwater noise output.
The report was distributed at the IMO's Marine Environmental Protection Committee session on July 14th.
"Noise from shipping is the single most dominant source of man-made low frequency noise throughout much of the world's oceans and has resulted in large changes in background noise levels," said Veronica Frank, IFAW EU whale programme campaign officer. The noise overlaps the frequencies produced by some marine animals, primarily large whales, seals and sea lions, and fish, interfering with their capacity to perform their vital functions.
"The distance over which blue whales can communicate has likely been reduced by approximately 90% of what it was prior to the advent of propeller driven ships," continued Frank. By 2025 the amount of cargo shipped around the world is forecast by shipping analysts to double or triple and generate even more noise.
"The noisiest 10% of ships account for between 50% and 90% of the noise pollution and it is these vessels that are most likely to benefit from relatively minor modifications to reduce propeller noise," said Russell Leaper, an IFAW scientist. The report suggests that new propeller design concepts and fins and ducts to improve wake flow could reduce noise output from the noisiest ships and be cost effective. The report found that there is a relatively poor understanding of noise output from large commercial vessels and a need for more data.
The IFAW commissioned report was written by Dr Marin Renilson and is called "Reducing Underwater Noise Polluting from Large Commercial Vessels". The full report is available at
www.ifaw.org/oceannoise/reports. It was commissioned to inform the work of the IMO as they have primary responsibility for addressing shipping noise. IFAW holds consultative status with the IMO and has been working with IMO governments and the industry to find practical solutions to reduce the environmental impact of shipping that benefit both animals and people.
Notes and further reading:
For further information on reductions in ocean noise please consult visit www.iwcoffice.org and read Leaper et al., 2009. Paper SC/61/E19 presented to Scientific Committee of International Whaling Commission, Madeira, Portugal.
A target of a 3dB reduction (i.e. halving the acoustic energy) in 10 years in ocean noise was suggested at an International Workshop on Shipping Noise and Marine Mammals held in Hamburg in April 2008. This target has been endorsed by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission. You can learn more about it here (http://www.okeanos-stiftung.org/okeanos/download.php?id=14).
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DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS
21 August 2003
BENEFIT FRAUD INSPECTORATE REPORT: EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Andrew Smith has today
published a report by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) on the
administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and
counter-fraud activity by East Renfrewshire Council.
BFI inspected the council against the Performance Standards for
housing benefits. The report found that the council was not at
standard for any of the seven functional areas - strategic
management, customer services, processing of claims, working with
landlords, internal security, counter- fraud, and overpayments.
The report found evidence of the council's commitment to improving
its benefits administration as it had increased the numbers of staff
working in this area. However, this increased commitment needed to be
directed by a clear vision for the Benefits service supported by
formal policies and clearly communicated targets.
The council was performing well in some areas of claims processing
with 99 per cent of renewal claims processed before the expiry of the
previous claim, and new claims processed on average in 31 days
compared to the national standard of 36 days. However, the council
needed to do more management checking of cases, and improve its
approach to verifying supporting evidence to meet the national
verification framework. To reach the counter-fraud standard, the
council must ensure that fraud investigations are properly planned
and thoroughly conducted. However, BFI acknowledged that the council
had undertaken some quality fraud investigations.
The council had no specific overpayment policy, and did not do enough
to establish the cause of individual benefit overpayments. The
council did not make use of all the available methods of recovery and
its processes were fragmented and poorly controlled. The council has
responded positively to BFI's recommendations in this area and plans
to change its processes and organisational structure.
In 2001/02, East Renfrewshire Council administered approximately
#11.7 million in housing benefits. This is approximately 7.6 per cent
of its gross revenue expenditure.
BFI is an independent unit within the Department for Work and
Pensions that reports directly to the Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions on the standard of benefit administration and counter-fraud
activity.
Notes to Editors
1. The process for the inspection at East Renfrewshire Council
included an initial fact finding stage, an on-site visit, and
production and clearance of the report. The on-site visit took place
during February 2003.
2. Each BFI inspection report is considered by the Secretary of State
who decides whether any further action is appropriate. The Secretary
of State has powers to issue directions to a local authority to
secure acceptable or minimum standards in performance.
3. In its response to the Housing Green Paper of November 2000, the
Department for Work and Pensions developed a performance framework
for housing benefits. The HB/CTB Performance Standards, published in
April 2002, enable local authorities to make a comprehensive self-
assessment of whether they deliver benefit effectively and securely.
They are the standards that the Department for Work and Pensions
expects local authorities to aspire to and achieve in time.
4. The Department for Work and Pensions has not set a timescale for
when the standards need to be met by local authorities.
5. BFI inspects against the seven functional areas of the Performance
Standards:
- Strategic management - clearly stated aims and action, resources
and monitoring, with effective training and IT
- Customer services - providing an efficient and prompt service that
meets the needs of all claimants and persons with a legitimate
interest in a claim
- Processing of claims - speedy and accurate claims processing with
effective verification
- Working with landlords - to give private landlords the confidence
to let to claimants and to support delivery of social housing
- Internal security - preventing internal fraud
- Counter-fraud - deterring, preventing, detecting and pursuing fraud
- Overpayments - preventing, identifying and recovering overpayments.
6. The HB/CTB Performance Standards can be downloaded from:
www.dwp.gov.uk/housingbenefit/publications/2002.
7. Media copies of the BFI inspection report can be obtained from the
Department for Work and Pensions Press Office on 020 7238 0866.
8. All BFI inspection reports can be found on the BFI website -
www.bfi.gov.uk.
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